A method for providing network device status notification includes providing at least one auditory cue to indicate at least one device status. According to one aspect, distinct auditory cues are provided when a device begins looking for a federation, when a device has connected to federation and when a device has disconnected from a federation. A network device includes a network interface and an auditory cue unit coupled to the network interface to provide at least one auditory cue to indicate at least one activity status.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for providing network device activity notification, said method comprising providing at least one auditory cue whenever a network device status changes, said providing further comprising: providing a first auditory cue to indicate the device is looking for a federation; providing a second auditory cue to indicate the device has connected to said federation; and providing a third auditory cue to indicate the device has disconnected from said federation.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein providing at least one auditory cue further comprises providing a fourth auditory cue to indicate the quality of the device network connection.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein each of said first auditory cue, said second auditory cue and said third auditory cue is different with respect to other auditory cues.
4. A method for providing network device activity notification, said method comprising providing at least one auditory cue to indicate at least one network device activity status, said providing further comprising: providing a first auditory cue to indicate the device is looking for a federation; providing a second auditory cue to indicate the device has connected to said federation; and providing a third auditory cue to indicate the device has disconnected from said federation.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein providing at least one auditory cue further comprises providing a fourth auditory cue to indicate the quality of the device network connection.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein each of said first auditory cue, said second auditory cue and said third auditory cue is different with respect to other auditory cues.
7. A network device comprising: a network interface; a processor coupled to said network interface; an auditory cue unit coupled to said processor, said auditory cue unit to provide at least one auditory cue to indicate at least one device activity status in response to at least one status signal from said processor; and a connection detector to detect when a network connection is being sought, when a network connection has been established and when a network connection has been terminated, the connection detector operatively coupled to said auditory cue unit via said at least one status signal.
8. The network device of claim 7 wherein said connection detector further detects the quality of the device network connection.
9. The network device of claim 7 wherein each auditory cue is different with respect to other auditory cues.
10. The network device of claim 7 wherein said network device comprises a Jini device.
11. A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for at least one auditory cue whenever a network device status changes, the method further comprising: providing a first auditory cue to indicate the device is looking for a federation; providing a second auditory cue to indicate the device has connected to said federation; and providing a third auditory cue to indicate the device has disconnected from said federation.
12. The program storage device of claim 11 wherein providing at least one auditory cue further comprises providing a fourth auditory cue to indicate the quality of the device network connection.
13. The program storage device of claim 11 wherein each of said first auditory cue, said second auditory cue and said third auditory cue is different with respect to other auditory cues.
14. An apparatus for providing network device activity notification, said apparatus comprising: means for providing at least one auditory cue to indicate at least one network device activity status, said means for providing at least one auditory cue further comprising: means for providing a first auditory cue to indicate the device is looking for a federation; means for providing a second auditory cue to indicate the device has connected to said federation; and means for providing a third auditory cue to indicate the device has disconnected from said federation.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for providing at least one auditory cue further comprises means for providing a fourth auditory cue to indicate the quality of the device network connection.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each of said first auditory cue, said second auditory cue and said third auditory cue is different with respect to other auditory cues.
17. A network device, said device comprising: a network interface; a processor coupled to said network interface; an auditory cue unit coupled to said processor, said auditory cue unit to provide at least one auditory cue to indicate at least one device activity status in response to at least one status signal from said processor; and a connection detector to detect when a network connection is being sought, when a network connection has been established and when a network connection has been terminated, the connection detector operatively coupled to said auditory cue unit via said at least one status signal.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
June 23, 1999
June 4, 2002
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